Noah Cyrus’ debut album, The Hardest Part, embraces the beating heart. At 22, Cyrus has proved the depth of her artistic and emotional openness. The album plays like an intimate diary—a narrative filled with love, loss, and battling addiction. The Hardest Part is Cyrus’ diary to the world, and with chilling lyrics that read like poetry, each word is Cyrus’ strength.

For anyone who resonates with her journey, this album heals the heart, and provides guidance towards one’s future self. Accompanying the lyrics is an authentic blend of pop and individual style, with hints of her family’s country roots.

“I had a death wish. I finally had a moment of clarity after I lost my grandmother,” Cyus admits in a statement released to V. “When she died, I wanted to be there for my mom, but was so emotionally and physically gone. Around the same time, I got out of my toxic relationship and weighed out my options—life or death. I wanted to find purpose and hope. So, I chose life…I’m experiencing happiness and joy for the first time since I was a little kid.”

Genuine and honest, Cyrus sings of sadness, and her hope for the beauty of the future. The future is inevitable, and unknown—this album is a guide. The Hardest Part is a hand reaching out to Cyrus’ first EP, THE END OF EVERYTHING. Already accumulating 40 million streams, Cyrus’ lyrics and passion filled melodies emote echoes of pain, love, and hope.

Alongside her album, Cyrus dropped her official music video for “I just want a lover,” directed by Actual Objects—a chance to see a visual accompaniment to Cyrus’ surrealist mindscape. Dripping in black latex, and dressed in a leather dominatrix fit—Cyrus walks the line between the allure of love, and the delicacy of the dangers. We can only hope for more when her North American tour starts October 4th. Listen to The Hardest Part, below!